WILLIAMSBURG — City Manager Andrew O. Trivette published the City of Williamsburg’s Fiscal Year 2026 Proposed Budget on March 31, which recommends no change to the real estate tax rate while reeling in spending.
According to the city, Trivette worked closely with Williamsburg City Council and city staff to construct the budget proposal, which recommends no change to the real estate tax rate of 62 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Over the last year, the city said it has experienced economic cooling, resulting in slower revenue growth. Additionally, the need to invest in aging utility infrastructure to modernize the production and distribution of potable water can no longer be postponed. Funding demands of the joint school system continue to rise, it added, exceeding available revenue.
The city said to meet these challenges, the city must constrain spending where possible, rely on one-time funds, and raise revenue to meet needs. To that effect, the proposed budget includes the following strategies:
- Eliminate 29 capital projects, or $15.3 million, in fiscal 2026, part of a $30 million five-year cut.
- Reduce departmental operating costs by $725,000, or 2%.
- Institute a funding freeze that saves $207,000 by holding nine positions vacant through June.
- Reassign $5.5 million in COVID relief funds and $1.1 million in reserve funds to the CIP.
- Adjust the water rate by $1.59/1,000 gallons to accommodate necessary infrastructure upgrades.
- Increase meals and lodging tax rates by 2% and 3%, respectively, and add a new 10% admissions tax.
The full budget proposal can be found at williamsburgva.gov/
The City Council will discuss this proposal and residents can voice their opinions during the next work session and regular meeting on April 7 and 10, respectively. Residents can also email the city manager or council members directly at citymanager@williamsburgva.gov or council@williamsburgva.gov.
The City Council will consider the adoption of the fiscal 2026 budget on Thursday, May 8.
